With the end of the fall semester of my junior year nearing and the feathers of Colgate??€TMs administration ruffled as they are, I figured it was time to write something about my thoughts on the current state of affairs at Colgate. When I came to Colgate as a freshman, I was placed in a living situation you could call less than enjoyable. Obviously,my roommates and some dorm-mates were unpleased to start out at Colgate that way, but I lived with it and ended up meeting a few friends who would end up being my roommates for the rest of my time at Colgate. We had a fun year, partying, meeting some new people, and managing to get our studies in as well, but we really had no idea what this school was all about. As we moved into our sophomore year, we were excited for the new dorm, etc. and life was good. Fraternity rush came quickly though, and we weren??€TMt quite sure what we wanted to do because we really didn??€TMt know what the benefits or concerns of joining a fraternity were. Nonetheless, we went through rush and went to the houses and tried to figure out our plan. It wasn??€TMt until a night at the bar with one of my roommates that I was completely convinced of what fraternity I wanted to become a part of. We met two senior brothers and somehow got into a conversation of their fraternity and what it was about and how we should consider it. I had never met them before, but they seemed like pretty decent guys. So we ended up spending the rest of rush with that fraternity and eventually pledging that same fraternity. We still had no idea what Colgate was at this point either, but we were about to find out. And this is where the two worlds that Colgate possesses divide. When guys or girls decide to join a fraternity or sorority, they are not just joining groups that will give them a party to attend on a Friday or Saturday night, they are being admitted into Colgate??€TMs world of traditions that have been passed down through generations. What teachers and courses would be better or worse for them, where to live as an upper-class student, where to go to get the best food of a certain kind on campus, and loads of other information, is immediately at their finger tips. And most importantly, so is the bond of younger and older brothers and sisters. This is one of the most important, if not the most important element of Greek life present at Colgate. No matter what house you belong too, whether it is DKE with their incredible mansion, or the stylish Kappa girls that survive like many other Greeks without any place to live together, the younger/older connection remains the same. Having a house and being able to say that you are a part of a fraternity is wonderful, but the knowledge and experiences you gain from your elder brothers is unattainable through any other source at Colgate. Colgate??€TMs traditions are being kept alive through fraternities and sororities this very day, and it is the only link there is to the past and in a sense, to the future. That is a large claim to make, but a genuine one. Greek life is certainly not for everyone and that??€TMs the way it should be. There is space for everyone on campus and not being Greek means absolutely nothing as far as your opportunities run here. The outlets for what you can do with your time here are limitless, but the fact remains that traditions can only be passed on from person to person or group to group, and fraternity and sorority life at Colgate is essential to the school??€TMs roots. I have seen my fair share of parties and such at other fraternities around the whole east coast and heard stories from countless friends, and in comparison, Colgate??€TMs fraternities receive my highest level of respect as far as brotherhood and behavior. The question at Colgate should not be how can we purchase Broad Street in order to include everyone, but how can we use what already exists, and build on it to make the school even better. I do not want to see Colgate continue in its trend to eliminating these traditions that are so deeply ingrained throughout this campus, but I also don??€TMt want fraternities to be seen as an opposing force to Colgate??€TMs administration. The answer is to work together with cooperation and without elimination. Let??€TMs stop the progression of the phrase ??€oethe old Colgate??€?, and change it back to: Colgate.————————————–I did not add my campus email on this letter because I do not want my name and affiliation to be revealed because I feel it will ruin the point of the article and also make it biased. Please respect that wish as far as journalistic integrity goes, but I would appreciate an email back to the other address to see what you think and if it might be printed. Thank you and again please keep this anonymous.